I’ll write a 2013 fantasy rookie post about Trevor Bauer, too. It’s inevitable. Even after Bauer was called up to the majors and produced a 6+ ERA, his stuff was still undeniable. There will be time to go over Bauer. Let’s shine some light on Tyler Skaggs so he doesn’t remain Barbara Hersey to Bauer’s Bette Midler. Sure, Skaggs doesn’t have the dazzling strikeouts like Bauer. He might not have the upside of a Cy Young contender like Bauer. Shoot, let’s just talk about Bauer… No! We’re gonna talk about Tyler. Skaggs plays second fiddle to no man, not even Steve Miller. Though, Skaggs was just as terrible in his major league call up as Bauer with a 5.83 ERA in 29 1/3 IP only without the beautiful Ks. Okay, enough about Bauer– But his Ks are really purdy– No, this is about Skaggs. So what can we expect for 2013 fantasy baseball?

I’m gonna write Skaggs’s 2012 off as nerves. Unlike Bauer, Skaggs doesn’t have severe control problems. He did have solid Ks in the minors, too. In Double-A, he had a 9+ K-rate. His fastball is only 89+ MPH though, so there’s no high expectation that he’ll be a 9+ K guy in the majors. In fact, in Triple-A, his K-rate dropped to 7+. Then in 29 1/3 IP last year in the majors, he K’d people just over 6 per nine. He reminds me of another Diamondback prospect that isn’t named Trevor Bauer, and isn’t even still in the Diamondbacks’ system. Skaggs reminds me of Jarrod Parker. The same Parker who gave top 40 starter value last year and had a K-rate just under 7. Parker is three years older than Skaggs, so the comparison isn’t quite there. Then again, Parker was in the AL…Then again again, the A’s play in a pitchers’ park and the Diamondbacks don’t. Then again again again, Parker needed some luck to have a 3.47 ERA. Then again again again again that means if Skaggs isn’t lucky he won’t have a 3.50-ish ERA. Then again ag– Skaggs will probably be around a 4 ERA guy with above-average Ks. That’s solid for an NL-Only pitcher, but he’ll be a wait-and-see for most mixed leagues. For 2013, I’ll give him the line of 10-7/4.10/1.29/140 in 180 IP. So, how about that Trevor Bauer?

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@Grey, I consider myself well versed on your “wait for pitching” philosophy (and the dangers of rookie nookie re: pitchers). I know the sweet baby jesus of posts, your 2013 SP rankings, will answer this question for future me but I’m wondering how many young arms to target and trying to prioritize for the re-draft. I guess I’m wondering if I should draft useful guys earlier or gamble on the children (Bauer, Skaggs, Bundy, Hultzen, etc.). Ask your ‘stache how many young arms I should stash. And if there can only be one, is it Bauer or Bundy?

I don’t gamble on many rookie arms… Maybe one a year, if that… I gamble on young-ish arms… Like Scherzer, Bailey, Medlen… Last year, I liked Peacock, but quickly abandoned him when he wasn’t breaking camp with the team…

@JT, you didn’t qualify which type of game you play. If roto, you might want to check out the ‘Streaming Pitcher Rater’ at top left. Includes links that track excellent results that would warrant drafting hitters in lieu of top pitchers. Not so ideal for H2H, other formats.

@simply fred, Guess it would help if I gave details. I’m in a 12-team keeper. This year we kept 8 and the only pitcher I kept was Price. Wondering if, in the early rounds of the draft, I should reach for a hog upside/future ace (Bundy or Bauer)

@Grey, Absolutely. Maybe he thought that the only way they could win was with Ozzie, and once that failed, it was time to forfeit. It’s funny since they had improved so much as a team just by getting rid of Heath Bell. At least there aren’t that many Marlins fans in this world, so the net suffering won’t be too high.

I can’t imagine he’s in any way worse… With Cuban, at least you get a guy that wants to win…Something that is sorely missing from Loria… I think it’s more about Selig not wanting to deal with Cuban, because Selig’s all about himself… These guys annoy me, can you tell?

@Steve, I would think that Nolasco would be hard to sell. Most teams aren’t desperate to pay $9 million for a guy who has steadily declined in K/BB, regardless of his FIP or xFIP (which are also crappier now). Though I could be wrong- his fangraphs WAR is the same as Gallardo and Edwin Jackson’s.

But I think you’re right that they have no reason to keep a guy who will make more than, well, league minimum at this point.